North
Korea fired two short-range missiles off its west coast on Thursday
believed to be part of a test to upgrade capabilities, said news reports
published on Friday, quoting South Korean military officials.

North Korea has raised tensions in recent weeks by
announcing it would launch a rocket to put a satellite into orbit, but
regional powers are urging Pyongyang to drop the plan, saying it would
violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

North Korea launched two short-range missiles
believed to be surface-to-ship missiles from its west coast Thursday
morning, South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper quoted government officials
as saying.

"The launch is believed to be to upgrade missile
capabilities and not related directly to the North's long-range missile
launch," the newspaper quoted a military official as saying.

Another mainstream newspaper JoongAng Ilbo published a similar report.

South Korea's office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
declined to confirm the reports, citing its policy of not speaking
publicly on matters involving intelligence activities.

Reclusive North Korea has said it is merely sending a
weather satellite into space, but South Korea and the United States say
it is a disguised ballistic missile test.

The secretive North has twice tested a nuclear
device, but experts doubt whether it yet has the ability to miniaturize
an atomic bomb to fit inside a warhead.

The North has said the launch would take place
between April 12 and 16. The planned launch, which has even drawn
criticism from ally China, will mark the 100th birth anniversary of
state founder Kim Il-sung.